New York: From the pits of despair in Paris, record-setting Novak Djokovic now eyes a third US Open title in New York where for the first time since Wimbledon last year, the sport’s ‘Big Four’ will be reunited.
Djokovic became the first man to win all nine Masters titles with victory over Roger Federer at Cincinnati, Sunday.
Having captured, against all the odds, a fourth Wimbledon in July, the 31-year-old Serb suddenly finds himself as joint-favourite with World No.1 Rafael Nadal to triumph at Flushing Meadows.
Champion in 2011 and 2015, and a five-time runner-up, Djokovic sat out the 2017 US Open to nurse an elbow injury. His physical limitations were still evident when he slumped away from Roland Garros in June after a shock quarterfinal loss to journeyman Marco Cecchinato, threatening to skip Wimbledon to mend his shattered self-confidence.
Fast forward three months and Djokovic is once again the man to beat. “It’s a wonderful feeling. It’s been a couple of tough months for me with an injury but then winning Wimbledon and Cincinnati,” said Djokovic who opens his US Open campaign against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics.
Djokovic’s Wimbledon triumph took his Grand Slam title collection to 13, just one behind Pete Sampras. He also has 31 Masters, two back from Nadal but four more than Federer. He will head for New York buoyed by his dominance over his three major rivals as well — he leads Nadal 27-25, Federer 24-22 and Andy Murray 25-11.
“He’s a great champion,” said Federer in praise of Djokovic in Cincinnati. World No.1 Nadal, who won the US Open last year to add to his 2010 and 2013 victories, skipped Cincinnati after triumphing in Toronto the week before.
The Spaniard clinched an 11th French Open in June to take his majors tally to 17 before falling to Djokovic in a five-set, 5-hour 15-minute semifinal loss at Wimbledon.
Now 37, Federer would become the oldest New York champion in the Open era should he lift the trophy again September 9 and second oldest of all time. Murray, the 2012 champion, is set to play his first Slam since a hip injury suffered at Wimbledon last year.
